Last week we began sharing ways you can improve your apparel eCommerce website that are both unique to the needs of that industry, and appeal to the eye of apparel customers. The more we got to thinking about it, the more we realized that there were well over six strategies that you consider implementing. Which is why we’re back with part 2 on this topic. In this blog we’ll be breaking down six MORE apparel-focused eCommerce strategies you can implement to improve the user experience and ultimately improve your conversion rate.
And don’t forget to check out Part 1.
Question and Answer
Much in the same way that Customer Reviews add transparency and authenticity to your brand and products, so does a Question and Answer section. You’ve no doubt seen the Q&A section on Amazon product pages and it’s there for a reason; they work. No matter the product description or reviews on your product page there will always be very specific questions potential customers will have about your apparel or accessories. Their questions could be about fit, material, shipping, user experience, anything at all. The Q&A section gives a platform for these questions to be posed and for yourself as well as customers to answer them. For questions posed to your company, this is a great opportunity to showcase your customer service capabilities, product knowledge and openness. For questions posed to current and former customers about their experiences with your product(s), think of it as another form of Customer Review. Getting a fellow customer’s honest feedback about your product will make potential customers more secure in their purchasing decision and less uncertain about engaging in business with you. Making room on your product pages for a Q&A section is a must.
Recommended Accessories or Pairings
No eCommerce site should ever miss an opportunity to upsell and the apparel industry is certainly no exception. Whether you’re selling a dress that pairs with a great pair of shoes and earrings or you’re selling a sports jersey with a newly available matching team hat, customers are often searching for a complete look and you should be prepared to give them the option to purchase it. How you present these recommended accessories and pairings is up to you (and perhaps the niche you serve). They can exist on the product page, you can offer them in a pop-up, or they can be presented just prior to checkout. If customers pass up the opportunity to purchase your product’s accessories and pairings then these recommendations would make for a perfect follow-up email offer.
Customer Reviews
We broke down the benefits of customer reviews and shared our favorites in great detail back in January’s blog but this has become such a hot topic and powerful tool that it’s worth repeating. Customer Reviews will benefit your apparel site in numerous ways. For one, they reaffirm your brand. Even the greatest product description ever written can’t compete with a customer review. A customer review makes your products and your company more authentic and accessible. Shopify has revealed that 63% of customers are more likely to convert after seeing reviews. Reviews give your brand transparency and build trust with your customers. Good reviews, bad reviews, no problem! Even if you only had exclusively positive customer reviews the modern apparel customer is too savvy (or maybe cynical) to believe they are all legit.
The Greatest Product Description Writer ever.
So, even negative or average reviews add authenticity to your brand and page, and serve as useful tools to your merchandising and customer service teams (particularly if you have taken the time to thoughtfully respond to negative reviews – which you absolutely should do).. Customer Reviews are shown to increase conversions by as much as 63% and research shows that 70% of customers look at reviews on products and stores before making a final purchase. To take a deeper dive on customer reviews check out our recent blog.
A More Mobile Friendly Website
Is your webstore as responsive and as mobile friendly as it can possibly be? If your answer is anything less than, ‘absolutely’ then now’s the time to upgrade it. Mobile eCommerce accounted for more than 67% of all digital sales in 2019. And improving the mobile capabilities of your site could have a direct impact on your brick and mortar location too. 65% of all US shoppers look up price comparisons on their phone mobile device while in a physical location. So not only could your unresponsive mobile site be costing your sales digitally, it may be costing you sales in-store.
Free Returns
As a merchant it’s your job to remove as much uncertainty about your brand and product as possible. We discuss Transparency in greater detail in Part 1 of this blog and this topic is related to that. The greatest uncertainties associated with purchasing apparel online comes from the worry, ‘will this fit me?’ and, ‘will this look good on me?’. And while no product description or customer review can answer that question for an individual, you can remove doubt as to whether that individual will be stuck with a purchase they are unhappy with. By offering customers a no-hassle, free return policy, you’re showcasing your own belief in your own brand and products and improving their overall experience. Whether the customer ends up keeping your apparel or returning it, either way they will be much more likely to continue doing business with you if you have made this process as easy as possible.
Free Delivery
As a merchant it’s your job to remove as much uncertainty about your brand and product as possible. We discuss Transparency in greater detail in Part 1 of this blog and this topic is related to that. The greatest uncertainties associated with purchasing apparel online comes from the worry, ‘will this fit me?’ and, ‘will this look good on me?’. And while no product description or customer review can answer that question for an individual, you can remove doubt as to whether that individual will be stuck with a purchase they are unhappy with. By offering customers a no-hassle, free return policy, you’re showcasing your own belief in your own brand and products and improving their overall experience. Whether the customer ends up keeping your apparel or returning it, either way they will be much more likely to continue doing business with you if you have made this process as easy as possible.
No matter your kind of apparel and accessories and no matter your target audience, if you’re looking to improve your conversion rates, traffic and your customer’s shopping experience these webstore strategies are a great place to start.
Check out some of the apparel and accessories work we’ve completed for Medals of America, Fawn Shoppe, and Massif and let us know if you’d like to schedule a conversation.
